Demelza launches shop on online marketplace Vinted

The popular buying and selling site, which has more than 100 million users, only began allowing charities to open online shops in the latter half of this year and our retail team has been working towards launching one since it became possible.

The launch of the Vinted store builds on the existing e-commerce operation which Demelza runs, including eBay and online vintage shop Depop.

All of the online shopping sites are run by staff and volunteers based at the new Larkfield Distribution Centre, which opened last month.

The team work alongside staff and volunteers across Demelza’s retail sites to sort through donations and handpick items which they believe will sell on the site. They then photograph and list each item for sale, using trends to maximise the potential of the piece of clothing.

Since its launch, the Vinted shop has already sold a range of items, from wedding dresses and rugby shirts to vintage sportswear. As the shop is app-based, it means the team is able get items listed and online much faster.

E-commerce has been a success for Demelza in recent years, with a top seller rating on eBay and an average spend of £30 plus. Demelza currently has around 1,200 different items for sale across all online shops and during November, the team sent around 500 parcels out across all platforms.

Demelza’s Deputy Director of Retail, Gemma Cruttenden, said: “We’re really excited to have launched our new Vinted shop and it’s already doing well, with a perfect five star rating.

“Our team is brilliant at knowing which items will sell to certain audiences, so it’s great to have even more online outlets to sell the things so generously donated by our supporters, which all helps to raise vital funds for our charity.

“We’ve also been working with our shop teams across the organisation to find items and draft listings for eBay particularly but also in helping them find hidden gems for Vinted and Depop.

“Online shops also mean people who live in other parts of the country are hearing about Demelza and the extraordinary care we give to extraordinary children when they order an item from us.

“All of our charity shops and online selling options are a really important part of our drive for sustainability – charity shopping is a great form of recycling which keeps unwanted goods out of landfill and gives items a new lease of life, as well as providing affordable shopping options for people.”